The Math :An Itachi Songfic:
by RavenStark
Summary: Does Itachi have feelings for Kisame? Read and find out! Songfic, is currently a oneshot, but that may change if enough people like it...


The Math

OR

Of Weasels and Sharks

Kisame didn't think Itachi liked him at all. In fact, he believed that Itachi somewhat hated him, to a certain degree. Maybe it was the stares of indifference, or the long silences that stretched between them on missions, broken only by the light jingling of the bells on their hats.

He wasn't sure if Itachi knew just how he felt about him, that every little thing the raven-haired youth did drove him crazy. The way he walked, the way he brushed his hair oh so carefully in the morning, the way they fought the Akatsuki's enemies almost as if they were really a single identity instead of two separate people. But just as soon as he thought that Itachi might be oblivious to his feelings, Kisame would receive a sideways glance, or the small smirk that the Mist-nin had come to associate with "I know something that you don't".

Itachi could barely stand it. Hidden behind his mask of bored indifference was a knot of seething frustration that he could not keep under control for much longer. He knew that he would snap and do something he might regret later, but he didn't care. His mind kept going in circles- analyzing, quantifying, dividing, until he could only come up with a single answer;

He _had_ to tell Kisame how he felt.

Had to tell him that the older man was the one he thought of at night, the one to blame for his messy sheets. The only one who he would trust completely to fight by his side. His only friend.

But Itachi had to be sure that he wouldn't scare Kisame away with his attentions, when he told him that he loves the shark man with all of his heart.

What's left of it, anyway.

Itachi sat with his back to the fire, taking the first watch while his partner lay motionless beside him.

They'd completed their mission that day of ensuring that the Mizukage would give the Akatsuki whatever support that the group needed, and both were very tired. When Itachi had silently turned to sit facing the meadow that lay beyond their campsite, Kisame had frowned but said nothing about it. He knew from experience that it was futile to argue with his partner. No matter how tired Itachi seemed, he would always take the first watch, no exceptions.

It was just that sort of thing that had (initially) rubbed Kisame the wrong way, assuming that Itachi perceived him as weak, in some way. After giving in, he would usually relish the much-needed, albeit light sleep before he had to get up and take over the watch.

After waking, he entertained the thought that Itachi took the first watch in order to give himself a chance to think, and in turn giving his partner a chance to rest before he took on the watch himself. In other words, he was doing it to be _nice_. The thought was ridiculous at best, but Kisame had known stranger things to happen. The question was, if Itachi _was_ doing it to be nice to him, _why_? The Mist-nin couldn't remember anyone else doing something like that for him, except maybe his _mother_, but then again, Kisame thought, _Isn't that what mothers are _supposed _to do?_ And considering that Itachi clearly was _**not**_his mother, there had to be some other reason behind it. The only two that Kisame could think of were that Itachi wanted to be his friend, or...

_No._

That couldn't be it.

Could it?

Kisame glanced behind him, uncertain. He looked at his partner's sleeping face, wondering just what kind of game the boy was playing with him. He tried to add up all the times when the boy had said or done something to make that mysterious warmth grow in his belly. The slight smirk that he doubted any living person had seen in a long time, the way his long ponytail would sometimes free itself from the collar of his cloak and sweep back and forth as they walked side by side...

A blush tinged his cheeks purple when he realized just how long he'd been neglecting the watch.

_Ugh. Kami, this is just great. The last thing I need is to fall in love with my partner._ He turned to face the thick forest that lay before their campsite, trying to think of anything but the sleeping boy behind him.

Itachi was not sleeping. He was doing his best to lie motionless, willing his mind to fall asleep so his body would stop urging him to crawl into Kisame's lap. He couldn't believe this was happening. They'd been partners for almost a year, and that already felt like an eternity to him.


End file.
